Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Permanence?

Last night, after my final episode of "How I Met Your Mother," I took a pee, brushed my teeth, and climbed up into my loft. For the first time in about a year, I felt genuine homesickness. Nothing really provoked it, nothing really warranted it, and I'm not totally sure what it's significance was.

I'd be lying if I said I'm totally thrilled about being up in Moorhead. But, I've managed to stay busy enough to trick my mind into not caring. When my mom was visiting for parent weekend last Friday, I brought up the prospect of a transfer. We had a similar talk last year, resulting in a similar response to the one I got again.

"Jack, I just don't want you to transfer for the wrong reasons."

Touche.

But, after the weird homesick feeling I had last night, I'm starting to think... what would be considered an appropriate reason for wanting to transfer?

To be honest, home is awesome. Transferring to the U would make college one of the greatest experiences in my life; I have no doubt. My friends back home that are going to school in the cities are awesome, the U is extremely renowned for their business programs, and the... girls are hot (yeah, that last reason sounds dumb as I type it, too, but hey, I'm a guy).

I guess the reason I haven't been more active about pursuing this transfer is because I hate to feel like I'm quitting. "When times get tough, the tough get going," no? But at the same time, I need to be aware that I ALWAYS have options; no situation should ever be looked at is permanent and unchangeable.

I realize that this post almost directly negates everything I wrote about in the post below; but hey, I'm human--we're built on irony and contradictions.

When I close my eyes and envision where I'll be six months from now, I can't come to a definitive conclusion.

I don't know if you can pinpoint a moral to grasp from this post, but I guess, if any, it'd be to not limit yourself. Don't let your stubbornness compensate for too much of your happiness.

Whether I stay a Cobber, or turn Gopher, I don't know. But I do know that God is gonna put me on the right path, either way... so I'm chill.

Happy Tuesday sluts,

-Jack

Friday, September 21, 2012

A conversation with my german prof

Sorry for my absence from the blog this past month; More has gone on in my life that I could even begin to fill you in on, so I'll skip the redundancy of trying to summarize the ups and downs. Instead, I'll short cut to a conversation I had with my German professor this afternoon that put it all in perspective...

Ever since returning to Concordia, I've been in a worse mood. Transitioning from the euphoria of a great summer to a bland environment where drama is as abundant as the cornfields, it's no wonder how my tweets have seemed a little melancholy lately. Apparently, that attitude has also made an appearance into the class room.

My German professor, asked me to come in and talk to her one-on-one today (every teen boy's fantasy, right?). I was skeptical as to what her insistence on a conversation regarded. I have an A in the class, and didn't think my behavior--besides the occassional sexual german remarks--was noteworthy enough to validate the need for a meeting. The conversation was a lot more positive than I could have expected; but it was also a call to action.

She told me that I'm one of the brightest students she's ever come across at Concordia (granted, the german classrooms are sparcer than the presence of body fat on Jack Frederickson). She said I'm a leader--whether I accept that role or not--and need to spread my talents to a lot more facets than I currently am. She said I have the power to make an indent on this campus, and in the community, and I need to be more aware of that and not waste my potential and opportunities.

"Damn, that's deep for a Friday afternoon, Frau," I replied.

But, she's right.

As my mom's always told me, the level of difficulty involved in coping with any situation in life is only as prevalent as I make it. Admittedly, I've been walking around campus the first month of this school year with my ear buds in, eyes down on the pavement, and an aura of discontent surrounding me. As opposed to looking at every situation in life as temporary, I need to become passionate about altering the outcome of every trial I'm handed. I need to take on the role as a leader, and feel more comfortable changing lives around me.

Taking a break from my normal, humble self-- I have a lot of talents. I'm an average athlete, decent student, but I'd like to think I'm capable of being a role model for a lot of people.

We all have a calling; sometimes we just need to hear someone else validate it. The sun's shining, my folks are in town, and I'm feeling happy. Today may just be the start of a new era. I'm excited

-Jack